The present invention relates to a bracket capable of being engaged with an interior wall member such as a roof trim of a vehicle and also capable of being engaged with a vehicle body panel by one-touch operation, and at the same time the bracket is capable of electrically connecting with an electric wire for supplying electric power.
There are provided various types of bracket structures to be attached to a roof trim of a vehicle.
A bracket 31 shown in FIG. 8 is an example of the bracket applied to a sun visor having illumination. As shown in FIG. 8, the bracket 31 includes: a base member 37 interposed between a roof panel 33, which is a vehicle body panel, and a roof trim 35 which is an interior wall member to cover a surface of the roof panel 33; a main body 39 attached to one end of a shaft 38 which is attached to a sun visor body not shown in the drawing; screw members 43, 45 for fixing the base member 37 and the main body 39 to the roof panel 33; and a cover 47 for covering a surface of the main body 39.
The base member 37 is made of insulating material such as synthetic resin and includes: a diameter expanding section 51c composed of a pair of circumferential walls 51a which are divided by slits 51b; a substantially cylindrical panel engaging member 51 press-fitted into a fitting hole 33a of the roof panel 33; an opening 37a into which the cylindrical section 39b at the center of the main body 39 is inserted; a pair of flexible elastic pieces 52 vertically arranged at the peripheral edge of the opening, engaging with the engaging protrusion 39a of the cylindrical section 39b; and a screw insertion hole 54 into which the screw member 45 is inserted.
As shown in FIG. 9, on the reverse side of the base member 37, a base plate 55 includes: a fitting section 58 fitted with an attachment opening 35a of the roof trim 35; a flange section 59 coming into contact with an upper face of the roof trim 35; and four L-shaped trim engaging member 61 for holding the peripheral edge of the attachment opening 35a of the roof trim 35 on the fitting section 58 together with the flange section 59. At a position corresponding to the panel engaging member 51, there is provided an electric connecting section 53 on the base member side for holding the terminal 41a (shown in FIG. 8) of the power supply electric wire 41.
The main body 39 is made of insulating material such as synthetic resin. As shown in FIG. 8, the main body 39 includes electric connecting sections 34, 36 provided on the main body side for positioning and holding the terminal 56 of the connection electric wire 42a on the sun visor side and the terminal 57 of the electric wire 42b for earth, wherein the cylindrical section 39b is interposed between the terminals 56 and 57.
Next, the procedure for attaching the bracket 31 to the roof trim 35 and the roof panel 33 described above will be explained as follows.
First, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, after the terminal 41a of the power supply electric wire 41 has been positioned and held at the electric connecting section 53 of the base member 37, the base member 37 is attached to the opening 35a of the roof trim 35 by the trim engaging member 61.
As shown in FIG. 14, when four positions of the peripheral edge of the attachment opening 35a are interposed between the flange section 59 and the trim engaging member 61 as shown in FIG. 14, the base member 37 is engaged with the roof trim 35.
On the other hand, the terminals 56, 57 at the end portions of the electric wires 42a, 42b are held by the electric connecting sections 34, 36 on the main body 39 side (shown in FIG. 8).
Next, as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the cylindrical section 39b of the main body 39 is inserted into the opening 37a of the base member 37. When the engaging protrusion 39a protruding from the outer circumference of the cylindrical section 39b is engaged with the flexible elastic piece 52 of the base member 37, the main body 39 can be detachably engaged with the base member 37 attached to the roof trim 35. Therefore, the roof trim 35 can be handled as a roof module in which the sun visor having illumination is previously integrated into one body via the bracket 31.
Next, as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, the roof trim 35, which is integrated as a roof module, is attached to the roof panel 33. In this case, when the panel engaging member 51 of the base member 37 is press-fitted into the fitting hole 33a of the roof panel 33, the extended diameter section 51c of the panel engaging member 51 is hooked at and engaged with the fitting hole 33a. 
Finally, when the screw members 43, 45 are fastened, the attaching work for attaching the sun visor having illumination is completed.
As described above, in the base member 37 of the related bracket 31, as shown in FIGS. 14 and 15 which are cross-sectional views taken on a line Bxe2x80x94B in FIG. 9, when the thickness of the attachment opening 35a of the roof trim 35 is at least in a setting range not less than the clearance formed between the flange section 59 and the trim engaging member 61, the roof trim 35 at the peripheral edge of the attachment opening 35a is interposed and held between the flange 59 and the trim engaging member 61 as shown in FIG. 14.
However, the following problems may be encountered. As shown in FIG. 15, when the thickness of the peripheral edge of the attachment opening 35a is small so that it is out of the setting range, clearance G is generated between the flange section 59 and the trim engaging member 61. This clearance G causes noise while a car is running.
The present invention has been accomplished to solve the above problems. It is an object of the present invention to provide a bracket can be easily attached to the roof trim (interior wall member) so as not to be restricted by the thickness of the interior wall member.
In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided a bracket for attaching an interior equipment of a vehicle into a fitting hole formed in an interior wall member covering an inner face of a vehicle body panel, comprising:
a base member placed on the fitting hole from a side facing the vehicle body panel;
a main body provided with the interior equipment, and engaged with the base member from a side facing interior of the vehicle for holding the interior wall member therebetween; and
an elastic fitting member formed on the base member so as to elastically contact with an inner circumferential face of the fitting hole from a normal direction of the inner circumferential face.
In this configuration, since the base member can be easily attached to the interior wall member, the attaching work can be efficiently conducted.
Furthermore, since the inner circumferential face of the fitting hole is pushed from the normal direction thereof by the elastic fitting member, the base member does not become rickety. Accordingly, the thickness of the applicable interior wall member is not restricted. Further, there is no possibility that noise is generated.
Preferably, the elastic fitting member has a contact face provided with a non-slip member with respect to the inner circumferential face of the fitting hole.
In this configuration, the base member can be more strongly fitted with the interior wall member, and the reliability can be more enhanced.
Preferably, the non slip member includes a plurality of transverse grooves.
In this configuration, since it becomes difficult for the base member to slip in the direction of disengagement, the reliability can be more enhanced.
Preferably, the elastic fitting member is arcuately elongated along the inner circumferential face of the fitting hole.
In this configuration, since the contact area of the interior wall member with the elastic fitting member is increased, it is possible to prevent the base member from becoming rickety and further it is possible to prevent the base member from being displaced even when external forces are given to it in various directions.